In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous cultural institutions across Southern California are offering educational resources for families and teachers to utilize while they shelter at home. SoCal Museums has compiled dozens of new and compelling online educational opportunities for children of all ages, presented by more than 30 Southern California museums and cultural institutions.

These resources reflect a range of subjects – from contemporary and historical art to science to fashion – and employ different learning modalities, from virtual instruction to activity books to storytelling. They are presented from institutions large and small across the region.

“For more than 15 years, SoCal Museums has made arts and culture more accessible to our communities, including visitors from outside the region. In the face of this global crisis, our member museums are finding a way to bring exciting and transformative cultural experiences to our younger audiences,” said Jennifer Caballero, SoCal Museums president and marketing director at the Skirball Cultural Center. “We are pleased to offer a wide range of activities to not only local children and educators, but people in other parts of the country and the world.”

One of the only organizations of its kind, SoCal Museums is comprised of arts and culture communications professionals, and aims to increase visitation to and awareness of museums in Southern California. Among several collaborative initiatives, the group is most known for presenting the Museums Free-for-All, an annual free admission day across the region.

The Autry Museum of the American West offers standards-based and self-paced lessons that engage students with Autry collections through interactive activities and connections to home and today, in addition to themed digital tours featuring Autry collections.

Craft Contemporary offers Craft at Home, a new series of easy-to-follow craft activities for the whole family.

The Getty Museum offers lessons on the fundamentals of photography, as part of a teen-centric education program, Getty Unshuttered. The lessons include perspective, composition, shot size, lighting and portraits.

LACMA offers online curricular resources that foster creativity, inspire personal growth and enhance learning. LACMA@Home offers additional digital resources to think and learn about art.

Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust offers guides for educators for teaching the Holocaust through primary sources and Holocaust survivor testimony, as well as short student-created films about the lives of Holocaust survivors.

Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County offers NHMLAC Connects, a new digital portal to discover and learn about nature, science and culture from the safety of home.

The Skirball Cultural Center offers weekly #SkirballAtHome, family-friendly art projects, plus suggestions for ways to build community even from our homes.

For information, visit socalmuseums.org.